William Swan Plumer
William Swan Plumer was an American clergyman, theologian and author who was recognized as an intellectual leader of the Presbyterian Church in the 1800s.
Early life
William S. Plumer was born to William and Catharine Plumer in Greersburg, present day Darlington, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1802. He graduated from Washington College in 1825, received his religious education at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, and was ordained in the Presbyterian Church. He was licensed in the Presbytery of New Brunswick, a Presbytery in New Jersey, as a clergyman in 1826, and the state's Orange Presbytery ordained him as an evangelist in 1827.Career as clergyman
Plumer was the minister of several churches during his career, most notably: First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Virginia ; Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, Maryland ; Central Presbyterian Church, Allegheny, Pennsylvania ; Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; and Second Presbyterian Church, Pottsville, Pennsylvania.From 1837 to 1845 Plumer was the editor of The Watchman of the South, a weekly Presbyterian newspaper which he had founded while serving as pastor in Richmond. He was also a founder of Staunton's Institution for the Blind, Deaf, & Dumb.
Plumer moderated the General Assemblies of two different sects of American Presbyterianism, one in the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America in 1838 and in the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1871. In both institutions he was a staunch supporter of Old School Presbyterianism.
Career as educator
In addition to his career in the pulpit, Plumer was a highly regarded religious instructor, and his teaching positions included: Professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania ; Professor of Didactic and Polemic Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary in South Carolina; and Professor of Pastoral, Casuistic, and Historical Theology at Columbia.Career as author
Plumer authored at least 25 books, including commentaries on Romans, Hebrews, and Psalms, as well as numerous tracts and pamphlets, and magazine and newspaper articles. Many of his articles were published anonymously, so the number of writings he produced cannot be calculated with accuracy.Death and burial
Plumer died in Baltimore on October 22, 1880, due to complications which arose after having surgery to remove kidney stones. He was buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.Family
In 1829 Plumer married a widow, Eliza Garden Hassell, in Hillsboro, North Carolina. She died in 1878 and is also buried at Hollywood Cemetery.Honors
Plumer was the recipient of several honorary degrees, including: three Doctors of Divinity ; and one LL.D..Written works
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